Foil printing involves a process of bringing an adhesive backed foil into contact, typically with a xeroxographically impregnated paper, under conditions of heat and pressure. The adhesive backed foil selectively adheres to the xeroxographically impregnated portions of the paper while not adhering to the non-impregnated portions of the paper.
For professional, commercial printing operations, a number of devices and machines have heretofore been formulated. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,546 entitled "Transfer Metallization Laminate" issued on Feb. 20, 1990 to David J. White discloses a method and apparatus for metallization of support members such as paper sheeting. A foil layer is supported by an overlying carrier and has a thermoplastic layer of, for example, styrene butadiene and a viscosity modifier. The compression of the carrier-foil-thermoplastic layer onto a paper layer, accompanied by heat, causes the foil to be removed from the carrier-foil-thermoplastic layer and onto the paper layer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,026 entitled "Process for Selective Transfer of Metallic Foils to Xerographic images" issued on Feb. 9, 1988 to Marshal A. Nelson discloses a method for selective metalization of xerographic impregnated sheeting. Heat and pressure is applied to a composite layer formed over a xerographic layer attached to paper. The composite layer includes an adhesive in contact with the xerographic material, a primer, a layer of foil, a release coat, and a carrier polymer film. The transfer composite layer is stripped away to reveal a decorated, foiled paper sheet.
Large, expensive devices capable of being utilized to practice foil metalization, especially the selective metalization described in the Nelson '026 patent, began to be formulated in the mid-80's. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,467 entitled "Composing System Including A Foil Printing Unit" filed Nov. 25, 1986 and issued on Jul. 26, 1988 to Giancarlo Marazzi and Pierre Saez, and a later filed U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,538 entitled "Composing System Including A Foil Printing Unit" filed Jul. 22, 1988 and issued on Sep. 12, 1989 to Giancarlo Marazzi and Pierre Saez, both disclose a computerized composing system including a color transfer unit for selectively coloring portions of the printed output.
This device contains a keyboard, computer monitor, operator workstation, and cabinet containing a laser printer and color transfer unit. The system was quite large and occupied the space of about 11/2-2 desk spaces or larger. The device disclosed is replete with logic circuitry and really describes an automated printing station.
However, in the commercial printing industry, the ability to be flexible and to offer a wide variety of products can spell the difference between success and failure. For example, the cost of the Marazzi device is several thousand dollars, and the device is somewhat limited in the tasks that it can perform. A printer who chose to invest significantly in one device to perform a particular type of printing would be limited to the features of the machine which held the bulk of his investment. Bulky investment in a variety of similarly high cost machines, in an attempt to offer the flexibility now demanded from practitioners of the printing industry, could spell the difference between survival and bankruptcy.
Even in the instance of survival, profitability would be severely curtailed. Further, there is the issue of physical bulk. Several devices of the type described in the Marazzi references would each consume several hundred square feet of operating area. In today's tight business climate, and with business floor footage valued at a premium, such bulky devices can be more of a liability than an asset.
Further, the question of operability and complexity come into play. A large complex machine, and especially a costly one, requires a skilled operator. Skilled operators require an inordinate amount of time and investment and labor cost. Re-training new operators where employee turnover is high can cause a business to lose profit rapidly. Having a high cost device and high cost labor will generally mean that a business must have at least a whole eight hour shift of needed printing on a weekly basis, indefinitely, if the cost of investing in the device and necessary personnel can be justified.
However, due to advances in technology, keen competition in printing, and the other cost factors recited above, the large devices as described in Marazzi are, with the exception of round the clock "full on" printing operations, going the way of the dinosaur. The printing industry of today demands cost efficient, small, easy to use, and flexible machinery which can serve more than one purpose.